![Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1794303503079_ViratKohliandGill.jpg?type=hq)
Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill [Source: AFP]
Shubman Gill has had a poor start to the New Zealand ODI series, and he was dismissed for a golden duck in the first time of his batting career. This, and his success rate in SENA conditions, have now prompted experts to discuss his batting techniques in those conditions for future improvements.
Former India spinner Murali Kartik thinks that Gill will need to reinvent his technique to succeed in SENA conditions despite averaging 35.41 against SENA in those conditions in ODIs. He has 3 fifties but is yet to score a century in SENA conditions.
Murali Kartik wants Gill to learn from Virat Kohli’s technique
Kartik stressed the fact that Gill will have to work on his batting techniques and bat-holding style. He even told Shubman Gill to take inspiration from Virat Kohli to work on his footwork and playing style.
“Sometimes with Shubman Gill, it is conditions-based, but he will have to tweak his technique, whether it is a bit of footwork or a bit of softening his hands; you can see it with Virat and people who do well."
"It is never easy; you are up against a brand new ball, against tall bowlers in those conditions, and he will have to do it very quickly,” Kartik said on Cricbuzz.
Ambati Rayudu, another India veteran, had contrasting views though. He supported Gill’s struggles while blaming the poor turnout on the tough pitch conditions and bowling surface in New Zealand.
“When I saw Shubman Gill in 2019, he used to play with hard hands and was going after the ball. We all felt that it would be slightly tough to have that pattern, especially in these countries. But he has evolved into a proper match-winner, he has improved leaps and bounds from what we have seen him in the first tour.
In this tour, the conditions have been really tough, to be very honest. The bounce has not been an issue for Shubman Gill, it is the inconsistency of the pace of the surface,” Rayudu said.
Shubman Gill’s batting record in SENA
From the 14 innings Gill played in England, Australia and New Zealand, Shubman Gill has bagged 425 ODI runs at a strike rate of 85.17. He has an even better record in Tests in SENA countries. Except for New Zealand, he has played in all three other countries and averages 42.26 in Tests.
Gill also has 4 centuries and two fifties in the format in these three countries. The New Zealand Tests starting from November 19 will be Gill’s debut on Kiwi soil as a red-ball batter.
For those unaware, Gill last featured against Sri Lanka in a Test encounter where he bagged an average of 29.50 from 4 innings with 118 runs and a half-century to his name in the same series.
